


Killing The Past, Coming Back To Life

by MixterGlacia



Series: Open Your Heart. (i'm coming home) [2]
Category: Marvel, Venom (Comics), Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst with a Happy Ending, BS'ing Marvel, Background OC's - Freeform, Body Horror, Claustrophobia, First Kiss, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Medical Experimentation, Multi, Panic Attacks, Self-Sacrifice, general grossness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-21 01:48:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16567286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MixterGlacia/pseuds/MixterGlacia
Summary: Eddie and Venom are separated. Nick will do just about anything to see them reunited.





	Killing The Past, Coming Back To Life

**Author's Note:**

> ~Remember, this is an AU~
> 
> More "I wrote this for me!" stuff. It's kinda inspired by the after credit sequence in Spider-Man PS4. Find the 10 hidden Pink Floyd references (The title doesn't count) and get a cookie!

Jesus. In hindsight, Nick should have put his foot down earlier. Look where this ‘hero’ shit got him. Shivering in a damp alleyway, with the distinct feeling that he’s not alone. Scanning the brick work, he’s trying not to retch from the feeling of his stomach clawing itself inside out.

 

Fuck, where did Eddie go? Stumbling to his feet, Nick shuffles aimlessly. The ones that had jumped them, clad in armor...did they-

 

**_NICKY!!_ **

 

...Damn it.

 

“V-...V’?” Nick whispers, throat constricting painfully. “Why are you in my head?”

 

 **Had to. Can’t find Eddie anywhere!** The symbiote seized hold of Nicks’ legs, starting to pace frantically. **You were the only one we trusted.**

 

“Okay, okay-” The thin man wrings his hands, trying to think. “If this is going to work, you’re going to have to be extra-careful with me.”

 

**We’re always careful!**

 

“You’re used to Eddie, V’. I don’t have that man’s physical strength, alright?” Nick hisses, straightening out his most recent version of the Entropy mask. “We’ll have to be smart, if you sense danger, just run like hell.

 

**Do you know what an ‘Oscorp’ is?**

 

The mutant stills. “Some corporation based out of New York. Why?”

 

 **Eddie recognized them. The assholes that attacked us.** Venom elaborates, worrying their teeth along the base of Nick's sternum. The feeling is downright _bizarre._ **He kept thinking that they looked like they came from Oscorp.**

 

Nick’s jaw tightens. “Well...I have an idea. Hopefully he’s still interested in chatting with me…” He digs through his small pack, retrieving the burner phone that Eddie had (thankfully) given him a few weeks ago. His fingers tremble as he dials.

 

 _“Hello.”_ A robotic voice answers right away. _“This is Stark Industries, how may I assi-”_

 

“Yeah, it’s Entropy.”

 

 _“Oh!”_ the program chirps brightly. _“We’re so glad you finally returned our calls~!”_

 

Nick plucks at the ragged end of his scarf. “Can you please just get Stark on the line? I have very little time.”

 

 _“Of course, sir!”_ There’s a pause, followed by a click and a noticeable upgrade in audio quality.

 

_“Stark here.”_

 

“Need a favor.” Nick snaps, nervously keeping an eye on the entrance to the alley.

 

_“Yikes, you sound like tetanus.”_

 

 **Can we eat him?** Venom grins against Nick’s eardrum.

 

 _“Ask your other dad when we get there.”_ Nick rolls his eyes. Aloud, he grumbles, “Look, I’m in a very tight bind here. I need to get to Oscorp HQ. ASAP.”

 

A beat of silence, save for faint sounds of rapid typing. _“That should cover it. I’ve got a car heading your way in ten minutes.”_ Tony pauses, _“Oh, and Nick-”_

 

“How the hell-”

 

 _“Don’t be a stranger. See you in about...two hours.”_ The line goes dead.

 

* * *

 

Nick is ill for the whole flight. How the hell did the pilots do this? Nick felt like a heap of trash.

 

 **Nickyyyy…** Venom whimpered, puddled in the pit of Nick’s stomach.

 

“I-” He pauses, stomach lurching from both stress and endless hunger. They can’t seem to think straight. “I know. We’re almost there.” Nick wheezes, too distracted by the burning in his joints to try and keep it inside their head. The second the plane lands, the alien takes over their hosts limbs, forcing them out the door.

 

“WHOA!” is all the warning they get before colliding with a young man.

 

Venom froths under Nick’s lungs. **FOOD!**

 

It takes all of the thin man’s power to restrain Venom, so they wouldn’t devour everyone in sight. “L-Look kid, I’m-”

 

“In a hurry, Mr. Buros?” Comes a familiar voice. To his left, in the finest suit Nick had ever seen, is Tony Stark. He’s tapping his foot, hand flying over a phone. "This is Peter, he's going to be your-"

Then a distant siren wails. It seizes Venom’s attention. “I’ll be back.” Nick’s voice states, though the man had not been the one using their vocal cords. The alien forcibly takes the wheel, darting off at inhuman speeds, not caring who saw.

 

Venom consumes Nick’s slim frame in the time it takes to weave through a shadowy side road. It’s difficult, their bond not as sure as the one the symbiote has with Eddie. It hurts like shit, but still they give chase. Targeting a black van, robbers hanging from the windows to fire at the cops. If only they knew what was coming.

 

Venom flings a tendril, hooking the car’s rear axle as it flies over a curb. Then they haul the vehicle from the street, miraculously not hurting any bystanders. It rolls three times before scraping to a halt on its roof.

 

Two men try to escape, one still inside the cab. More ribbons of ink fly from their body to capture the runners. Opening their maw, Venom almost has their meal, and then something snares their foot and the two are yanked from the ground. Something sticky pins their arms to their chest.

 

“Hey, cut it out!”

 

**“That sounds like the kid!”**

 

_‘I know!’_

 

The one and only Spider-Man hangs upside down, on eye level with them. “What’s with the living guillotine act?!”

 

 **“We need food.”** Venom hisses, tongue curling up to hide the shape of Nick’s jaw.

 

“There’s like a thousand take out places between here and where you came from!”

 

 **“You misunderstand us, child.”** They narrow their eyes. **“We are trying to keep our host alive. They were bad guys.”**

 

Spider-Man can’t hide a shiver. “Geez, you’re stone cold.”

 

**“The police are going to be here soon. Let us go!”**

 

“Only if you stop trying to eat people!” The kid orders. “We’ve got laws for a reason!”

 

 **“Tch.”** Venom sulks. **“Fine. We will play ‘nice’. Quickly, now!”**

 

As soon as they have an arm freed, Venom whips a cord of night to wrap around a fire escape. With a strong pull, they wrench free of the webbing. In a shimmer of light, they vanish into the air, leaving a stunned Spider-Man to handle the cops by himself.

 

* * *

 

“The fuck was that, V’?! Stark is _not_ going to be happy with us!” Nick shouts at his collar. “We need his connections to get Eddie back! Did you forget that?!”

 

 **You want us to eat our liver? Nicky, we got this.** Venom states from the hollow of Nick’s throat, their stomach growling violently.

 

“We are _not_ a match V’. That hurt like shit!” The man snarls, clutching at his sides while his eyes water. “Are you expecting us to get through Oscorp by ourselves?!”

 

 **Not** **_perfect_ ** **. Enough, though.**

 

“Gods damn it, no we’re n-”

 

“Hey, Fangs-For-Days!”

 

Shit. Nick whirls around. Spider-Man again, of course he found them. “Go away. We’re gonna come back, tell Stark to just chill for a sec’.”

 

“I’m not here just to drag you back, dude. Needed to see if you were making a snack run when you thought I wasn’t looking.” The hero kicks over a can. “I’m your babysitter, after all.”

 

Nick scowls. “I’m _fine._ Just give me a minute.”

 

“Also, I was gonna let you know how to climb Oscorp Tower, without tripping the silent alarm.” The kid shrugs, nonchalant. “If you’re not interested…”

 

Venom jerks Nick’s shoulders to attention, getting into Spider-Man’s space. **“Show us!”**

 

The webslinger hops back slightly. “Take it easy! Let’s get some names first.” He cautiously offers a hand. “What do you call that beast-mode of yours?”

 

“Ent-” Nick starts, but Venom drags themself into his voice box to finish with, **“We are Ventropy.”**

 

It’s pretty obvious that the kid is restraining a laugh. “Sounds catchy. Also, it should go without saying, but you can’t run off on your own.”

 

Venom hisses a little, not sure about this.

 

“There’s also the fact that I _need_ food. Like, right now.” Nick shoves his hands into his pockets.

 

“I know a deli that makes a mean chocolate cheesecake.” The hero glances off in a random (as far as Nick cares) direction.

 

The symbiote perks up. **Nicky, tell him we want the chocolate.**

 

“That sounds alright. I’m gonna have a hell of a time explaining this to Stark…”

 

* * *

 

Venom decides that they like the kid. Nick catches them putting out tiny tentacles to tug on his wrist for attention. At some point they even manifest their face when they take a shortcut through an abandoned lot, headbutting the hero.

 

The kid grabs them some hot dogs from a vendor he saved (or at least, that’s how the excited woman makes it seem) the other week. It’ll at least tide them over for a short time.

 

All the while, Nick can feel himself racing to an early grave. Not that he was going to have a long life anyway, but still. The already thin layer of fat in his cheeks is gone, eyes sunk deep into their sockets.

 

The kid, (Peter, he thinks?) is taking this all too well. He’s _humming_ for gods sake.

 

“Look, kid.”

 

“I’ve got a name!”

 

“Look, _kid._ ” Nick grits his teeth. “We need to pick up the pace, or me and V’ are gonna have to start hunting.”

 

“You just tried to eat people an hour ago!” Peter objects, throwing his arms out dramatically.

 

“I’m not built to host these things.”

 

**No, Nicky.**

 

“What?” Nick doesn’t really care that the kid can’t hear the other side of the conversation.

 

 **We’re not a match. That doesn’t make you a shitty host.** V’ purrs soothingly. **If you find your Other, you’ll see.**

 

“V’, You don’t even know if I’m going to survive this rescue mission!” Nick protests, smacking the lid of a trash can. It crumbles into flakes of rust.

 

“Wait-” Peter cuts in. “Nick, are you serious?”

 

The man in question levels the kid with a tired look. “You think I look like the picture of health? I’m a homeless man.”

 

**I got us, Nicky!**

 

“Shut up, no you don’t!” Nick snaps. At that, Venom recoils. They flee into their host, deeper than they’ve ever gone. Nick can’t feel them at all anymore. Regret settles like ice in the man’s stomach. Nick doesn’t know how he got so attached to the alien without even recognizing it. Was it something the symbiotes did as a defense mechanism?

 

Still, it aches along side the rest of his body.

 

The man presses his fingertips to his breastbone, rubbing circles along the place where Venom preferred to stay when they weren’t actively doing much.

 

“Is...everything okay?” Peter asks, concern tinging his voice.

 

“...I’m being a dumb ass. That’s all. Tell us-me about Oscorp.” Nick keeps his gaze ahead, refusing to look at the kid.

 

“Uh, sure thing. They used to be really cool in the tech world. I was thinking about applying for a full-time thing at some point.”

 

“When did things change?”

 

“To be honest?” Peter walks ahead of Nick. “All I know is that their financial transactions started to look pretty shady. Not subtle at all, y’know? They did a huge deal with something out west called the Life Foundation?”

 

Nick grunts, “I’m familiar with them.”

 

Peter doesn’t address that. “Yeah, and money’s the root of all evil, so Mr. Stark’s been trying to dig them up. That’s why he wasn’t surprised when you called him for help.”

 

The thin man snorts, “Cross country kidnapping isn’t shocking?” He glances at the street, jumping softly when he feels a wisp of Venom thread into his brain, where they start rifling through Nick’s memory for all of a moment. In the next, they’re gone, far from his reach once more.

 

“It is, yeah. Anyway, we need the sun to go down before we make our move.” Peter offers.

 

“Just get out of that stupid suit and get me some food. It’s a while before nightfall.”

 

“Hey!” The hero retorts, “Don’t dis’ the suit!” Nick can hear a _distinct_ pout in his voice. “As long as human isn’t the daily special, I know a place.”

 

* * *

 

 

Peter takes them to a Mom and Pop joint that sits at the foot of Oscorp Tower. Nick has already eaten through two pounds of Italian salami and orders a huge slice of chocolate cheese cake. Their hunger is easing bit by bit. He silently savors the taste, waiting for the lure of the sweet to draw V’ out of their hiding place.

   

They come out quietly, pulling themselves into Nick’s chest. **Nicky…**

 

 _‘Hey, V’. I’m truly sorry about what I said.’_ Nick thinks, _‘I know you’ve got me...I’m just so new to this.’_ He subtly rubs between his ribs.

 

Venom draws up, as near to the surface of Nick’s skin as he can without breaking through. **We-...I have asked so much from you.** They press up under his fingertips, knowing they were hidden by the human’s flesh. **I ignored your warnings and your health…**

 

 _‘...’_ Nick sighs lightly. _‘It’s for E’, so it’s worth it to see you two together again. You make him complete.’_

 

 **And he would be upset if you died because of this. Because of me.** The slow slink of slime slips upwards, reaching out for Nick’s collar bones. **We...** **_I_ ** **would be shattered if I killed you.**

 

Nick’s hand goes still, a hint of rust spreading along the grip of his fork.

 

**Nick?**

 

The thin man calmly takes another bite of cake. He lets the symbiote fret for many long moments. The instant before it becomes unbearable, Nick provides his response. Not in words, though.

 

In memories.

 

_-A child stands beside a man. The adult is fuzzy at the edges, face muddled. They hold each others hand while they watch the sun lift up over the bay. A youthful contentment radiates like the rays of the star they observe._

 

_-The child hesitates in the doorway of a small apartment. To an outside observer, it’s next to nothing. But to the little one, it’s home. Home means everything to him. It’s perfect._

 

_-The man brings the child to a tour of a candy factory. At the end, there’s a shop and a pretty woman stands behind the counter, batting her long lashes at the man. The boy is becoming bored when she hands a torn scrap of paper to his father. Then she offers the small one a free bar of chocolate. He munches on it as they leave, the surprise making it taste that much sweeter._

 

_-Not long after that, the woman shows up at their home. The child hides behind the man’s long legs, anxious from the change of their daily routine._

 

_-She visits every week, and brings new flavors of candy with her each time. It becomes part of the new normal for the child. It’s a missing part of their structure._

 

**_Then…_ **

 

_-The home is gone, images of fear and rust covering any thought of the place. It aches to remember the flat like that._

 

_-A young man on a street corner, his stomach yearning for any little scrap of food. The scaffold of his family is gone, everyday is a fight. The need to hide his powers is overwhelming. The fragility of life strikes him deeply._

 

_-A scruffy reporter with a goofy smile. The young man is older now, eyes shadowed with all he’s seen beyond the wall that divides him from ‘normal people.’ He knows the media so often chews through the homeless without any reward. He needs to be on guard with this one._

 

_-The reporter brings him and the others food. For the man, he also brings small things of chocolate. It’s so nice. The offer to sign on for the network is tempting. Then paranoia sinks its claws into his back and drags him away._

 

_-The man brings the reporter to places he’d never noticed, with stories he didn’t know needed to be told. Maybe they could have something._

 

_-The reporter shows up with a ring on his hand. The man hides his disappointment skillfully. Eddie can’t ever know._

 

**_Then…_ **

 

_-The reporter is back. White hot rage floods over the betrayal. The man doesn’t think, he lashes out with all the pain of a person with nothing left but himself, the broken little thing he was._

 

_-Pitch slinging from the reporter’s face, full of teeth and screaming accusations in his face. The man was terrified, clinging to the table as though it were a lifeline. It crumbles into dust, bringing a new wave of fear to the surface. He’s been discovered. There was no hopes of rebuilding his friendship now. How does he get out of this?_

 

_-The man spots the creature rolling over the knuckles of the reporter. More fear-...no. It’s different this time. This is contempt._

 

_-Later still, the man notices the creature doing little things. Putting food into the toaster oven when the reporter forgets to eat. Pushing glasses of water under calloused palms. Pulling the journalist from his work, making him rest. Cautiously accepting the man for their host’s sake. Their place wasn’t firm in its foundation. Yet, any foundation was better than none at all._

 

_-The man comes across the woman again. She’s a far cry from the earlier memories. Still, it’s her. Something draws tension between the two. She owes the man something so large, it can’t be repaid. A favor is asked of her all the same. A compromise between two lost souls._

 

_-The box rattling at the man’s side. He needs to let them know how much this connection means to him. A bubbly anticipation fills his heart. His feet can’t go fast enough._

 

_-A string of ink snares the man’s wrist. Kaleidoscopic eyes watching from under a sleeve. Do they know it’s for them as much as the reporter? Will they like it? Then the beast pulls him close to their host. A flush crawls down the man’s neck. He shoves the old feelings to the back of his mind, choosing to bask in the knowledge that he and the creature were coming to an understanding._

 

_-He’s not a hero. He can’t be. Failures aren’t heroic. Don’t lie to me, he thinks._

 

**_Now…_ **

 

_-The pitch coiling in his mind, searing his flesh as they move. Wrapping around the man, the fire raging so hot it should burn them. He has to do this. For Eddie._

 

_-When he snaps, the man knows it’s stupid. The beast only meant well. As they spiral into his depths, the man wants to cry. His body is killing itself. He’s so close to their goal and feels like he could fracture beyond repair at the slightest thing. He feels so alone in this strange city. He’s not a hero, but for Eddie...for Venom, he can try._

 

Without letting the symbiote have a chance to speak, Nick feeds them something more. Sensations. A cat purring in his lap, warm from the sun filtering in the window. Food in his belly. Being kissed in the middle of a downpour. Curling up in a soft blanket.

 

Being safe. Trusting Eddie.

 

Trusting Venom to keep him safe.

 

 **...You’re sure?** Venom’s voice is so quiet, it’s their connection that allows Nick to ‘hear’ them.

 

 _‘Not perfect,’_ Their temporary host thinks, _‘but enough.’_

 

The symbiote curls into the chambers of Nick’s heart, the fluttering organ paying them no mind. They know the human body well by now. How to bend it into the shape they find suits them, or to break it if the host resists. It would take no effort.

 

Except, this time there was no fight for control. Only an agreement. Staying together. For Eddie.

 

**We will help you too, Nicky. We promise we will do our very best.**

 

“As long as you don’t go where I can’t follow, we’re square.” Nick responds…

 

Out loud.

 

Peter is wide-eyed, gaze darting around for some sign of what just happened. “ You alright in there, Fangs?”

 

Nick stares at the remnants of his cheesecake. He nods quietly. “Yeah, yeah. Just talking to myself.

 

* * *

 

 

Being Ventropy changes by nightfall. It still sets Nick’s nerves on fire, but the alien doesn’t drive them to the verge of breaking like before. In some regards, it actually becomes a little thrilling. With Eddie, Venom is a behemoth. While the raw power is more than enough for them, there is something to Nick’s lithe body that Eddie could never match.

 

Acrobatics.

 

Taking that into consideration, and the fact that they are being lead by Spider-Man, Venom is understandably giddy. They match him, flip for flip. Eddie would have to deal with the fallout from this new fountain of inspiration.

 

Silently, they climb, Nick’s wrists throbbing from the strain. Venom shifts some of their mass from the pseudo-hood to reinforce them as much as they can. Every so often, a fancy looking drone hovers on by, and they carefully twist away from the light that the machine projects.

 

Finally, they reach the top floor. Peter perches on an air conditioning unit. “Okay. When I interned here, the only place that was off limits to almost everyone is this top floor. I’d bet, if they have anything at all to hide, it would be up here.” He glances around. “Not that, uh, I can really see a way in...think you two can manage to be subtle?”

 

**“We are the definition of subtle.”**

 

“I can keep an eye on the outside, if you need me, just-” The kid offers them a tiny device. “This’ll send me an alert if it’s destroyed. I’ll get to you as fast as I can if it goes off. That disappearing trick of yours wasn’t a one-time thing, right?” The hero wonders, tilting his head to the side.

 

 **“Don’t worry.”** Ventropy crouches next to Peter, delicately accepting the tech. Without warning their tongue unfurls, licking at the hero’s mask. **“We got this.”**

 

Spider-Man flails a little, wiping away the saliva. “ _Gross_ , Fangs!”

 

Ventropy just snickers a little before tucking the machine into themselves. **“We’ll be quick.”** They watch Peter swing up to a higher point, about to slink away, then-

 

“I’ll know if you try to run off too! Don’t make me regret doing this for you!”

 

 **Just a little longer, Nicky.** Venom reassures their host gently.

 

_‘I know. You got us.’_

 

Then they turn to their so called ‘babysitter’. **“We will be on our best behavior!”** After that, they slip into the shadows.

 

Venom relishes the faith between them. Fanning out Ventropy’s hand, they press their deceptively dainty talons against the rough material that lays beneath them. The concrete chips away easily when Nick senses something.

 

_‘Stop!’_

 

Ventropy draws their hand away. **“Yeah?”**

 

 _‘There’s some kind of electrical box there. I’m sure it’ll trip the alarm if we break it.’_ The host pulls them a foot to the side. _‘Try here._ ’

 

The alien obeys gladly, burrowing their way through the ceiling of the tower. The moment they can fit their shoulders, Ventropy squeezes themselves into the mysterious top floor. Instead of dropping, they cling to the ceiling, mimicking their new friend.

 

 _‘Acquaintance.’_ Nick reminds.

 

 **Friend.** Venom insists, mindful to keep it inside their shared mind.

 

_‘Don’t forget to camouflage us, V’.’_

 

The symbiote nods, their body vanishing with a ripple of light. A slicing pain lances down Nick’s spine. Venom tries to twine around the bone as they do when they heal Eddie. The pain doesn’t fizzle out like it should.

 

**We’ll fix you Nicky. We swear we’ll find a way.**

 

The mutant settles for drawing their attention to the lab sprawling beneath them. To one side, there’s a set of three small tubes behind a wall of glass.

 

 _‘Not glass.’_ Nick pipes up, voice strained. _‘Polymethylmethacrylate.’_

 

**How do you know that?**

 

_‘Part of my abilities. I can break through it, if that’s your next question.’_

 

Ventropy’s gaze drifts to the rest of the room. That’s when they spot it. Another acrylic chamber, corners reinforced with...Nick scowls in their head. _‘What are they doing that they’d need to use SX 300?’_

 

Venom decides not to ask what the hell an SX 300 is.

 

Movement catches their attention. Drawing back, Ventropy can see this is far more important than the rest of the laboratory. Strapped to a table, covered only by a threadbare sheet, is their goal.

 

Venom very nearly calls out to their beloved, forcing Nick to clamp down on their vocal cords like a vice. _‘We’re invisible, not mute!’_ He admonishes, but reassures the alien. _‘Just get us close. I’ll have you two together again in a jiffy.’_

 

They can do little to quell the nearly electric shock of excitement that sparks about their thundering heart. Yet, they do maneuver cautiously around some odd network of trip wires that litter the ceiling. _‘It’s like they were expecting Spider-Man, more than anything.’_

 

**They should worry about bigger threats than a friendly spider.**

 

Nick can’t agree more. Ventropy winds through the maze of traps, sidling up to a wall, reaching for the containment unit. They freeze when muffled voices start speaking.

 

“So, this Dr. …” They can hear pages being flipped through. “Riley? How did her interview go? She’s not going to ask questions, right?”

 

“Only a little. Her reputation for emergency treatment is the best of any that we’ve spoken to thus far. Sir, we need to have her on site for tomorrow's procedure. Are you going to risk losing our subject in favor of your paranoia? I’m going to call her back so you can-”

 

Then a sharp impact of skin on skin cuts the man off. “Remember who’s in charge here, Sanders.”

 

Someone spits, the wet sound followed by a small, hard object skittering on the floor. When the other man speaks again, he’s lisping. “Yeth, thir.”

 

“I want you to call everyone back in.”

 

“When?”

 

“If they don’t get here in an hour, they’re not hired.” The one giving the orders continues to speak, but the voice grows faint, footsteps echoing until Ventropy is left with silence.

 

They wait for ten minutes before they dare to move. The acrylic is smooth under their palms. Then Nick goes to work.

 

This isn’t like anything Venom has seen the man do before. Rather than some spectacular explosion of dust, the material yellows quickly, growing cloudy. The symbiote is curious and lets themself be swept up in Nick’s thoughts.

 

It’s fascinating to feel every little component that makes up Eddie’s jail. Every molecule unzipping and drifting apart. The copper that runs with a current, surrounded by steel and drywall- wait what?! He’s going to punch through-

 

**The wall, Nicky!**

 

 _‘I know, V’...’_ Nick wheezes. He sounds so brittle. _‘You’ll get to E’ before they get through. Promise.’_

 

He leaves no moment for debate, tearing out the final thread keeping the acrylic together. A massive chunk of the chamber collapses in an anticlimactic heap. The wall, on the other hand, erupts in an impressive shower of rust and sparks. Alarms begin to shriek.

 

**“Nicky!”**

 

_‘I got us, V’!’_

 

With that, Ventropy surges through their (literally) handmade entrance. Springing to the side, they alight on the slab that holds Eddie. For a fraction of a second, they loom over him, like some great beast examining something precious.

 

They drop the camouflage, silhouetted by the harsh lights of the lab.

 

 **“Eddie~”** Venom rumbles, and then they unhook themselves from Nick. Oozing from every pore, they melt into the man beneath them. It’s like finally returning home after a decade away.

 

Nick has the span of a breath, those same old fears sinking back in, drawing his hood and scarf in lieu of a mask. His worn, trembling frame wasn’t suited for the combat that was now upon him. On all sides, he’s surrounded. This was it. Nick was going to die.

 

Then a deep, resonating chuckle rolls through the room. **“We had a dream.”** An imposing hand strikes the tile to Nick’s right.

 

 **“We had a dream, one where a stupid group ripped us from each other.”** Another clawed fist smashes down at his left. **“You think you’re so fucking clever, don’t you? Think you’re the first to try that.”**

 

A skin-crawling hiss echos. **“We are Venom, and you?”**

 

Nick can’t help from glancing up, pulse jumping at the sight of a _true_ match between host and symbiote.

 

**“You are our prey.”**

 

All hell breaks loose. A hail of bullets rains down on them, and while Venom can keep Eddie safe, they can only multi-task so much.

 

Despite how scattered he feels, Nick does have an idea. The other chambers, the ones with the tubes. Months ago, Eddie had shown some of the footage he had taken at the Life Foundation to Nick. The setup and canisters were identical. The only thing setting it apart was the Oscorp logo painted over one end.

 

“Venom!” Nick shouts, spotting a sheet of SX 300 that survived the blast, plan forming in his head. He can also see shreds of the little device that Peter had gifted them. (Cool, reinforcements and all that good stuff.)

 

The dark creature crouches low, eyes fixed on the threat. **“What?”**

 

“Can you cover me?” The mutant plants his feet, ready to run.

 

 **“Of course, ‘Tropy!”** They grin, teeth glinting wickedly.

 

“Follow my lead.” Nick bursts into action, hauling the slab of inconel up. Thankfully it’s light enough to run with, but that means it’s not as bullet proof as it had been before Ventropy showed up. It’s better than nothing at all. He makes a b-line for the other experiments, finally getting a solid look at them.

 

One of them looks very similar to Venom, but they are covered in ever shifting white markings, lashing out in Nick’s direction. The second one is more placid, only leaning vaguely towards the man. They’re grey, almost like a droopy storm cloud. The third looked like a deep, almost rotten bruise. They don’t seem to care about Nick one way or another.

 

He skids up, nearly face planting into the acrylic. As swiftly as he can, Nick tries to barricade himself with the metal, but isn’t quite fast enough to prevent a marksman from catching him in the ankle. He swallows a strangled cry, glad he can still unglue the structure of matter while injured. He collapses against the smooth tanks, bracing himself.

 

 **“What are you doing?!”** Venom demands.

 

“Creating a distraction!” Nick snarls, being sure he catches this wall too. If he’s judging right, it should lead outside. “And getting attention!”

 

**“You hate attention-”**

 

Nick resolutely ignores that. True he’d not been sticking to his old plan of ‘Never fucking do anything heroic, and don’t talk to the media’ since the Hello SF tape went viral.

 

Whatever.

 

All he needs is for E’ and V’ to make it out in one piece. He’s gonna die soon anyway...so it’s the best he can do with what he’s got. Anything could do him in at this point. The Oscorp guys, exhaustion, even one of the symbiote’s trying to grab him. Nick is practically delirious from the pain when he thinks _Hell, maybe one of these is my other...whatever that means._ He forces his powers to their limit.

 

Nice that the metal in front of him is easier than the Plexiglas.

 

 **“Nicky,** **_wait-_ ** **”** Venom starts to shout before an explosion rocks the room.

 

The force throws Nick’s makeshift shield to the floor, shrapnel catching him in the face. That pushes everything over the edge, and the test chamber comes down on top of the mutant.

 

When the ringing in his ears stops, Nick finds that he’s been blinded by the high-velocity fragments. Oh gods. At his front, he can feel strong winds. To everything out there that would listen, he begs that Peter gets there fast enough.

 

Immediately to his left, the man hears a wet slap, something slick latching onto his hand. Jerking away on instinct, Nick can feel the floor he was slumped upon crumble. He tries to turn and reach out for help, “VENOM!”

 

It’s too late. He’s free falling. Nick is sure he’s been flung beyond the lower floors when he doesn’t stop immediately. In the distance he hears the kid shouting for him.

 

Then the world goes silent.

 

* * *

 

 

It’s the smell that wakes him. Nick’s blinking up at the clear blue sky, and high rises he’s never seen. There’s the sound of water, and the cry of seagulls.

 

Oh, and the fucking dumpster he’s inside of.

 

Before he can really figure out where the hell he is (Or rather, _if_ he can. He doesn’t know shit about NYC.) Nick is struck by an all too familiar feeling. The slow slide of something distinctly alien through the musculature of his arm. Said arm was moving on its own. Glancing down, he flinches.

 

The whole limb was so deeply bruised that it couldn’t have been caused naturally. Not to mention the fact that the line where it stopped was drifting lazily back and forth. Plus, the strands of living wine that erupted from his hand to dig through the heaps of refuse, absorbing anything organic in their path...Kinda paints a full picture.

 

Hooray, another ravenous mouth to feed or be eaten by.

 

_I would not eat you, Nicholas._

 

Nick jumps out of his skin, cracking his skull on the back wall of the bin. He winces, but before he can reach back to soothe the blossom of pain, it vanishes.

 

 _I just fixed your eyes and legs. I’m not in the mood to work out a concussion at the same time as your vital organ damage._ The symbiote hisses irritably.

 

“You...wait-” Nick reaches down to feel his ankle with the free hand. He hasn’t felt this well in _years_. “...” He just sits, a little stunned as he watches the alien methodically take in a maggot-infested lump. “I thought you guys needed live food to heal.”

 

_Who told you that?_

 

Nick makes a face. “I just sort of...thought you did?”

 

 _Liar._ The feeling of pressure on his chest is sudden, alarming even. Then it’s gone in a flash. _I am inside your head, you can’t trick me._

 

“...Right.” The mutant chews on his lip. “Can I at least get out of the trash before we have some drawn out chat?”

 

There’s a little pause, then the rotten tendrils draw back inside of himself. Soon afterwards, the hematoma fades, leaving no indication that it had ever been there at all. _That’s acceptable. I was getting full, anyway._

 

Nick gingerly gets to his feet, testing if he really can support his weight, drawing an offended huff from his stowaway.

 

_You’re fine, Nicholas._

 

“I’m just being careful.” He scowls. “I know how to get rid of you, so don’t tempt me.”

 

Nick senses a little thread of fear from their bond. Then the pull of the symbiote drawing away from him. They form a face, and...huh.

 

They look nothing like Venom. The whole living black-eye thing aside, they have a pronounced jaw of bone. The teeth are huge, curling up to hide their upper jaw. At least, when they had their mouth closed. They start to speak, revealing a razor sharp row of top teeth.

 

_“Why are you staring at me like that?”_

 

It’s because Nick had noticed that there was an opalescent marking over their top ‘lip’ that narrowed at him. It was like Venom’s eyes, in a way. Which leads to a _totally_ necessary question. “Are you a cyclops?”

 

 _“...Humans fixate on the blandest things.”_ They sigh dramatically.   _“I have full vision. Are you satisfied?”_

 

“I guess so.” Nick leans against the fame of a door.

 

 _“Good. Now let’s talk about how you just_ **_threatened_ ** _me.”_ They snarl, a viscous red ooze dripping down their jaw. _“That’s no way to treat your Other.”_

 

“That’s bullshit!” Nick can’t exactly hide his alarm from the creature. “How can you tell I’m your other, you’ve just met me!”

 

 _“Not ‘other’.”_ They snap their jaws lightly. _“Other.”_

 

Somehow Nick can feel the capital ‘O’. “Okay, fine. How can you tell I’m your _Other?_ ”

 

 _“The same way the symbiote you keep thinking of knew they_ **_weren’t_ ** _yours.”_ Burgundy twines around Nick’s throat. _“The way that only_ **_I_ ** _can heal you.”_

 

Nick’s heart stutters. “...How do I know you’re not lying to me?”

 

 _“The same way you can’t lie to_ **_me_ ** _. We are of one body with two minds.”_

 

The sound of footsteps jolts the two out of their conversation. The alien swiftly retreats into their host. Their Other. Nick decides to make his way out of the alley. He calmly moves past the stranger, acting like he’s putting a phone into his bag.

 

_I don’t think anyone will care. They didn’t pay attention when I brought us here._

 

“You did what?” Nick whispers harshly.

 

_It wasn’t safe to be there. The other symbiotes were trying to take you from me. The humans were trying to kill you._

 

“Not all of them. I had two guys on my side!”

 

_The bonded symbiote and the clown?_

 

Okay, full disclosure that did make Nick snort out a laugh. “He’s a superhero, not a clown-” Then he realizes. “Wait, do you have a name?”

 

_No. Does it matter?_

 

“I’d like to call you something.” Nick walks over to look at the port, nose wrinkling at the smell of rotten fish. The symbiote on the other hand wants to investigate. “No, we’re not diving into a strange harbor.”

 

 _Killjoy._ They growl, wrapping around their hosts intestines. _Just give me a name._

 

“Trashcan.”

 

_NO!_

 

“You haven’t given me much to work with. How about you tell me _why_ you were treating the dumpster like it was a buffet?” Nick mutters to himself, trying to figure out where Oscorp was in relation to his current location.

 

_To heal you. Your body was on the verge of death._

 

“I’m surprised you weren’t eating brains.” Nick wanders down another road.

 

 _I feed on things that spread illness._ That makes Nick freeze, and the symbiote has to take over to avoid an oncoming car. _Don’t be a fool! You know better than standing in a busy street, Nicholas!_

 

“Just call me Nick.” He ducks his head, a little sheepish. “And uh...thanks for that.”

 

_You’re welcome._

 

“I didn’t know you guys could feed on different things, though.” Nick starts walking again, shoulders hunching when he feels a few specks of rain.

 

_Most can’t. Myself and the others in the lab are...special cases._

 

The human isn’t able to ask before he’s assaulted with images of needles, strange elixirs that boil the alien alive, but don’t kill. Mists with odd flavors in their containment tubes. A dying host being fed pills that begin to break down parts of the flesh. Then something changes one day. The taste of life sours in their stomach, while death becomes sweet. They’re attached to a new human, one that is covered in hot little lumps of disease. The symbiote digs into these small nests of infection and it’s like the first time they were able to eat a human all over again. Delicious, filling, and it becomes their favorite meal.

 

Too bad they ended up taking too much of the surrounding flesh. Oh well, that host wasn’t going to withstand them for much longer anyway.

 

Nick’s heart hammers in his chest, the alien reaching up to soothe the rhythm.

 

“They were fucking around with your _genetics_?!” He gasps, trying to not let a wave of nausea overwhelm him. “They could have killed you!”

 

 _You were just talking about removing me from your body, Nick. That would kill me too._ They remind him.

 

“Okay, no dark sarcasm, alright?” The man presses his palm over where he senses the creature is. “I’m not really gonna kick you out.”

 

The alien purrs, squeezing their grip on the mutant’s organs. _Wonderful._

 

“Just know that if you start becoming a problem…”

 

_Understood._

 

The pair walk in silence for an hour, simply growing used to each other before Nick speaks again.

 

“I think I have a better name.” He starts. “How does Plague sound?”

 

_It suits me perfectly._

 

Nick is quite pleased with himself. He was usually awful at coming up with names for things. “So I have to ask, what’s the deal with this whole Other concept?” He asks, ducking under an awning when the rain starts to become heavy. “V’ used to think about it a lot.”

 

_You mean Venom. Your previous symbiote?_

 

Nick nods, glancing over at a woman who runs for the cover as well. She looks a little rough around the edges. Plague can sense that she’s coming down with a bad case of pneumonia. They’re still full, and thus pay her no mind.

 

_Keep walking, you aren’t going to melt from some water. I want a proper conversation._

 

 _‘What does that mean?’_ Nick thinks. Still, he does start walking away.

 

 _I want to_ **_hear_ ** _your responses._

 

“Oh.” He mutters, glancing at a fire escape. “There’s always a way to avoid crowds.” He takes the first one he can reach, trying to be fairly quiet so the cops didn’t get called. Once they reach the roof, he finds the driest place he can, settling in. “Alright. You’ve got my undivided attention.”

 

Plague manifests their face again, a satisfied sound rolling from their...whatever they produce sound with. _“Good. Now, did you ever ask Venom what they meant?”_

 

“About Others?”

 

The symbiote nods smoothly, dripping red onto Nick’s pants.

 

“Not really. I was trying to keep them fed. It was a bit distracting.” He admits.

 

Plague laughs a little, amusement filtering through their bond. _“It’s somewhat difficult to put into human terms. Especially in the language you speak. I’ve heard of a human concept, I believe it's called soulmates? That is the closest I can come to what your Other is to my kind.”_ They wind some ropes of themselves around Nick’s hand. It bruises upon contact. _“Deeper, though. Much deeper. Far beyond just a good match.”_

 

Nick goes a little still when he feels Plague braiding into his spinal column. A warm feeling starts to glow from his very bones.

 

 _“I know you’ve had plenty of interaction between Venom both from hosting them, and when they are with their Other.”_ They click their teeth together for a moment. _“Tell me how you felt with them.”_

 

“You can see my memories so-”

 

 _“I didn’t ask how it_ **_looked_ ** _, Nick. I asked you how it_ **_felt_ ** _.”_ Plague sneers.

 

The human mulls it over, trying to not let his feelings for Venom cloud the truth of the matter. Nick sighs, looking across the unfamiliar streets. “Like we were out of sync. They were a half second ahead of me, even at our very best.” He swallows around the lump in his throat. “I felt the shackle of the bond at all times.”

 

Plague rumbles, drawing up until they were face to face with their host. _“Now, what of us?”_

 

The answer comes easily. Too easily. “We’re harmonious. A symphony.”

 

His symbiote chuckles, very pleased. _“Poetic.”_

 

“Sorry…”

 

 _“Don’t be, Nick. I like it.”_ Plague grins. _“To use your analogy, you would be the musicians. Quite talented on their own, but lacking direction.”_ The feeling of hands grip at Nick’s jaw. A phantom thumb strokes along the sharpness of his cheekbones. _“I am the conductor. I am your_ **_Other_ ** _, Nick.”_

 

Shit, that was drawing some really intense feelings from the man. He tries to play it off, not wanting to sort through that can of worms just yet. “Is this the part where you say ‘We are Plague’?”

 

_“I could, but it’s a bit...too dramatic.”_

 

That jerks a full bodied laugh from Nick. “Really?”

 

 _“I think so.”_ Plague tilts their head, the ghostly hands releasing their Other’s jawline.

 

“Y’know, that’s something else I was wondering about.” The man folds his arms over his knees. “V’ is always hard over about using ‘we, ours, us’. You seem like you aren’t as interested in that. Why?”

 

_“It is different for all of my kind. I know you and I are also a ‘we’. I still value the parts that make us a whole, if that makes sense.”_

 

“Yeah, that does make sense. Do you think you can remember how to get back to Oscorp?” Nick asks, regretting it when his symbiote vibrates angrily.

 

_“Why would you go back there?”_

 

“To find Eddie and Venom?” He would think it’s...kinda a no-brainer.

 

 _“You don’t think they’d stick around there do you?”_ Plague challenges.

 

“...No.” Nick’s chest aches with something that his symbiote can’t heal. “I just want them to be safe.”

 

* * *

 

Eddie glares at the seat in front of him, trying to not let Venom rip their way through the car, then the streets.

 

“So. We need to chat about your buddy.”

 

The reporter gives Stark some major side-eyes. “Venom says he followed your rules. They didn’t eat anyone.”

 

“Yeah, but he did put four people in the hospital.” Tony arches a brow, lacing his fingers together. “Not to mention property damages.”

 

“Ven’ says they were a threat to the public, and it was their idea. Not Nick’s. Is it really fair to blame him for _my_ symbiote’s actions?” Eddie drums his fingers against the door, once more shooting down another suggestion to just take off.

 

“I’m more concerned that Oscorp is going to find him before we do.” Is the reply. “I know some of what he can do, but I wasn’t aware he could turn invisible.”

 

Eddie’s brow knits. “He can’t.”

 

“Tell that to the security footage, Brock.”

 

Venom growls, suspicious eyes forming under the shadow of their host’s chin. **“We are the one that can bend light. Not Nicky.”**

 

Tony rests his head in his palm, the judgmental look drawing a hiss from the alien. “So how’d he get away so easy.”

 

“We can’t figure it out, either.” Eddie admits. “So why are you driving us to some undisclosed location, rather than letting us look for him? We can cover more ground than you can without drawing attention.”

 

The hero can’t restrain himself from cackling. “That’s _debatable_ my friend.”

 

 **“We are** **_not_ ** **friends.”** Venom snarls viciously.

 

Tony just waves them off with a snort. “ _Anyway._ I’ve got Peter on patrol, because I really can’t trust you two alone in the city.”

 

Eddie tenses instantly. “What does that mean?!”

 

“It means I can’t let you out of my sight.” Tony raps on the windows, and they glimmer. What Eddie thought was outside vanishes and it’s all falling into place. They were already out of Manhattan. “Sorry about tricking you, but as long as you play along, we’ll find Nick.”

 

They were _upstate_. “H-...How did you-”

 

“A scientist never reveals their secrets.”

 

**We’ll just eat-**

 

“Ven’ _no._ ” Eddie’s knuckles go white as they grip at the door. “You already betrayed this man’s trust. He’s the reason you got here when you did.” The reporter grits his teeth. “I don’t care if you think we can do it, sometimes you have to play by the rules.”

 

Tony gives a slight smile. “Besides, you’ll have a constant line of contact with Peter, so you can be a second set of eyes for him. I’ve got some cameras set up in his suit for this.” He gets out as the car pulls into the facility.

 

“Okay...but I would really advise against being so deceptive with Venom. They strongly dislike you already, and it’ll make them want to rebel.” Eddie follows the hero into the impressive building. He’d been run out of the city before it had been built, and it’s pretty fucking cool.

 

“They’ll get over it.”

 

 **“Dick weed.”** Venom growls before Eddie can slap a hand over his mouth.

 

“Aww, I think they’re already growing on me.” Stark flashes the two a shit eating grin. “Lemme show you the room I’ve got you set up in.”

 

There’s a large screen, and many floor to ceiling windows that illuminate the space, a wonderfully soft looking bed tucked into a corner. There’s also several blank notebooks and a tablet waiting for them. Tony doesn’t react to Eddie’s questioning looks. Instead, he takes a remote and clicks on the monitor.

 

When it flickers to life, Eddie realizes that it’s showing a corner of Queens. Then a familiar voice greets them. _“Hey, Fangs!”_

 

“...You already gave me a nickname? We just met.” Eddie walks over to a modern looking chair, Venom stretching out to fetch the tablet for their Other.

 

 _“Oh, yeah! I guess it was more for Ventropy than you.”_ Spider-Man lands on top of a brick house with a tan roof. _“Also, it’s pretty cool to talk to you, Mr. Brock. I really admire your work.”_

 

“We can talk journalism later, bud. I’m really worried for Nick.” Eddie’s hands dance over the tablet, typing away. “How much of the city have you gone through?”

 

Tony slips from the room, taking the remote with him, pressing an almost hidden button once he’s out. He confirms that the system is armed before going to find Pepper. “He’s set.”

 

“Tony, are you sure about all this?” She asks, watching the cameras, her shoulders tight. “They could go ballistic.”

 

“I’m far more comfortable with them being here than out there. I need to know what happened to Nick, too.” He sighs, and it’s ragged with stress. “I really do think these two have the potential to do great things, be great heroes…” Then he looks to Pepper. “Except, I can’t _make_ them be that. I can’t even use the word ‘hero’ around Nick.”

 

“Maybe this is a blessing in disguise?” The woman theorizes.

 

“...I don’t know.” Stark utters softly. He quietly walks into his lab, wishing things could have gone differently. “I hope he survived, wherever he is.”

 

* * *

 

 

It takes a full week before anyone has any news on the missing man. It comes when Eddie is madly scouring the net for any strange occurrences. In Brooklyn there’s been a grainy photo of something people are calling the ‘Brooklyn Bridge Beast’. He relays this to Peter and the first chance he gets, the young man heads over to the borough.

 

He’s looking all around the bridge when he finds a camp of homeless people.

 

“Hey! Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man here, can I ask you guys some questions?”

 

They stare at him warily. Finally, one, a young-ish lady pipes up. “Sure, I guess so…”

 

“Have you guys noticed anyone new on the streets?” Peter hopes to everything that something would finally shake out. He knows they can’t see it, but he’s got this desperate grin going.

 

The lady looks over at an elderly man. “Hey, Paddy, didn’t you say there was some weird kid who asked you how to get back to Manhattan around midnight?”

 

The fella nods.

 

Peter lights up. “Please, tell me which way you sent him!

 

As the young man follows the trail, he can’t possibly know that his video and audio feed had corrupted, leaving a certain duo completely out of contact.

 

They’re a fucking _wreck_. It’s been two hours, they can’t make any calls, Tony up and disappeared...it’s highly upsetting. When Venom tries to force their way out, they learn the real reason they’d been put in this room.

 

It was a cage for the two. They lash out and while the electronics and furniture get ruined, there’s not a scratch on the walls.

 

Claustrophobia had always kinda been a minor issue for Eddie. Venom on the other hand, was completely unable to take it. The walls close in, they feel like they’re drowning and burning with every intake of breath. By the time the third hour mark passes, the feedback loop between the alien and their host has reduced them to a shivering mess in the corner.

 

**We’re going to be killed, Eddie. That dick had it out for us the whole time, can’t lose you again, Eddie. Can’t lose Nicky. Can’t stay here, have to go, have to move, have to run.**

**_We can’t leave now!_ **

**Yes we can!**

**_Tony is going to be pissed if we rampage_ **

**What else can we do?!**

 

bang

 

**_We can calm down_ **

**No, babe, no we’re going to die-**

 

Bang.

 

**_Not gonna die!_ **

**We don’t know that!! Nicky could be dead we could have killed him! Eddie, I never meant to h̵u̸r̷t̴ ̵y̶o̵u̵ l̸͔̈́ḯ̵̱k̵̦͠ē̵ͅ ̶͉̌t̴̩̓ȟ̵͓i̶̦̚s̶̪̓,̵͐͜Ī̴͚ ̶͙̎ͅl̴̛̙ơ̵̮͉̈́v̵̛̥͊è̸͉ ̴̲͚͐y̵͔͓̓̂-̶̱͔**

 

BANG.

 

The world shatters. Not literally, but they finally snap from their spiral of panic. A hesitant glance, and it’s the only person they wanted to see. He’s filthy, hair a rats nest, clothing torn to near-shreds. All that doesn’t fucking matter, because it’s Nick.

 

He’s there, and he’s real. The room stops shrinking, and with it, all of Ven’s self-loathing lightens. The thin man is arguing with Tony, eventually he looks like he’s begging. That’s when it happens.

 

Something smells like death. Strands of rotten slime rise from bruised flesh. Eyes go bloody. A voice that is not Nick hisses dangerously, clear enough to hear.

 

_“We are exhausted, Mr. Stark. We are more than willing to hear you out, but you are going to open that damned room this instant so we can see Eddie. Unless you want us to become your problem too?”_

 

But Tony holds his ground, he points sharply to a spot, shouting, “You sit _down._ I’ll open it if you and whatever alien parasite you caught stay there, and do _not_ move!”

 

Nick’s bruises recede to just around his eyes. He nods, quietly crouching against the opposite wall. Wisps of decay billow from him like a swarm of worms.

 

For several tense seconds, Tony waits, testing the thin man. Then he gives Eddie a look, tension so thick it threatens to smother them all. Then the door opens. Venom is already making their Other move before Eddie is even sure he’s ready.

 

 **“...Nicky how did you…”** They murmur gently, bringing Eddie’s hand up to a cheek that was fuller than the last time they had gotten this close. **“We’re so sorry.”** Venom and Eddie’s shoulders tremble. “For every damn problem we dragged you into.” Tears begin to roll down their cheek. “All of them.”

 

The half-second of silence is almost too much. Then the bruising shifts, the angry lashes of wine become nothing more than a dripping cloak of putrefaction. Nick smiles, brighter than Venom had ever seen outside of Eddie’s memories. He closes the span between them and kisses them for the first time.

 

It’s not lengthy or deep. In fact, it’s Nick who breaks away, face red with more than just a strange symbiote now. “S-Sorry, I should have asked fir-”

 

“Dammit Nick, just kiss us.” Eddie rasps, dragging his old friend back in for more, this time it’s more intense. He can sense Venom trailing out a few of their own tentacles. They very cautiously reach to wrap around the thin man, as if they are waiting to be attacked.

 

Instead the cowl of blight gently nudges the other symbiote, and Venom allows them to curl around Eddie as well.

 

It’s basically a big ball of ink and rot draped over two men who pull away to look at each other, pressing their foreheads together.

 

“So…” Eddie’s the first to speak up. “Who’s your friend?”

 

Nick actually _giggles_. “Their name is Plague. They kept me from falling to my death.” His gaze flickers upwards. “Hey, V’?”

 

**“Hmm?”**

 

“They’re my Other. Capital ‘O’.”

 

Eddie’s symbiote gasps excitedly, **“Nicky, we’re so happy for you!! See? You just needed to meet the right one!”**

 

Plague sloughs part of themself to alight on their hosts shoulder, peering at Eddie. _“I wasn’t expecting what your arrival would bring, but I am very glad you came.”_

 

Then someone clears their throat. Oh right, Tony’s there.

 

“So, if you guys are done with the weird alien sex-”

 

 _“_ **_”WE WERE NOT!”_ ** _”_ All four of them shout.

 

Stark just kinda...shrugs. “Look, as long as people aren’t going to get hurt or killed, I can put you guys up here for a little while. Any longer than a month, and I’m gonna have to ask you to do heroic stuff. Kinda have a reputation to keep up.”

 

“Fuck that.” Nick rolls his eyes.

 

“You need to get a shower, now that you’re done trying to be an ’intimidating’ demon thing. You smell like a dumpster.” Tony folds his arms, tapping a foot.

 

 _“Where else am I supposed to eat garbage?”_   Plague smirks over Nick’s shoulder.

 

“Shower. _Now._ ”

 

* * *

 

“Plague?”

 

_Yes, Nick?_

 

“What would you think about being a hero?”

 

_I have no idea what it’s like._

 

“...”

 

_Let’s not make any big decisions until we get home._

 

“Remind me to tell Stark we’re going by train. That jet was the spawn of Satan.”

 

_Of course, Nick. He took your clothes by the way._

 

“WHAT?!”

 

 

By the time the two reappear, there’s murder in Nick’s eyes. He stalks over to where Tony is watching TV. “You think you’re fucking hilarious, don’t you.”

 

Stark glances up and loses his mind, howling with laughter. Eddie, who was finally able to not be confined to his room as long as he had someone with him, looks over too.

 

Nick’s got on a white t-shirt, and in big, fancy print it says “MY ‘PEOPLE SKILLS’ ARE ‘RUSTY’.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> I HAVE BEEN WRITING THIS SINCE THE LAST ONE WENT UP AND BY FUCKING GODS IT TOOK 4 DAYS TO TYPE THE FINAL DRAFT BECAUSE IT WENT SO OFF THE RAILS. I've had to keep my good trash symby' under wraps since then.
> 
> That feel when you've been around each other for years and just now earn the first kiss tag.
> 
> Also I am fucking trash at writing Tony Stark.


End file.
